Battle near Yunkai
| Battle near Yunkai | |||||||||||||||||
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| Conflict | Targaryen campaign in Slaver's Bay | ||||||||||||||||
| Date | 299 AC | ||||||||||||||||
| Place | Yunkai | ||||||||||||||||
| Result | Liberation of Yunkai slave population | ||||||||||||||||
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A battle near Yunkai occurs between the forces of Daenerys Targaryen and Yunkai in Slaver's Bay.
Prelude
Following the fall of Astapor, Daenerys Targaryen marches north along the coast of Slaver's Bay, towards the coastal city of Yunkai, the second great slaver city.
The Yunkish host holds the middle with a 4,000 strong infantry slave army, supported by two mounted sellsword companies in the flanks: the Stormcrows on the left and the Second Sons on the right. Both companies have about 500 men each.[1]
Daenerys's host numbers 10,000 Unsullied and several thousand ill-trained armed freedmen. Her forces are stronger both numerically and qualitatively and could easily defeat the Yunkai army. Nevertheless Daenerys, worrying about the cost, extends an invitation to the slavers and the leaders of the sellsword companies to meet with her separately, trying to turn the sellswords over to her side and lure the Wise Masters of Yunkai to release the city's slaves without a fight.
Speaking for the Stormcrows' captains, Prendahl na Ghezn angrily rejects Daenerys's offer to change allegiance. Mero of the Second Sons is willing to take the offer back to his own captains, so Daenerys gifts him a wagon full of wine. Grazdan mo Eraz of Yunkai offers a bribe to Daenerys to leave but is refused.
The battle plan is outlined by Daenerys to her advisors: a surprise attack on both enemy flanks by the Unsullied, led by their captain, Grey Worm, and Ser Jorah Mormont, the commander of her army. Her kos—Aggo, Jhogo, and Rakharo—are to lead her mounted warriors of about 30 men in wedge formation against the enemy center. Arstan Whitebeard and Strong Belwas are held back to guard her pavilion during the battle.[1]
Near midnight the Unsullied catch Daario Naharis of the Stormcrows approaching the camp. He reveals he has killed the other captains, Prendahl and Sallor the Bald, and he surrenders the Stormcrows over to her. He pledges his sword and Daenerys accepts, aware that she risks being betrayed. Before he returns to his men, he is told to attack the Yunkish in the rear when the attack begins.[1]
Battle
The attack is launched a few hours after midnight, and the Stormcrows attack the enemy in the rear, as promised. The Second Sons are too drunk from wine to fight and are unable to support the slave army. Surrounded from all directions, the Yunkish troops break and throw down their weapons, while the sellswords yield.[1]
Almost 200 Yunkish infantry are killed and the rest are taken captive. The Second Sons suffer light casualties, but their captain Mero flees when he realizes that the Stormcrows have betrayed them. Daenerys Targaryen's losses are minimal, with only a dozen men.[1]
Aftermath
Yunkai surrenders and gives in to Daenerys Targaryen's demands, freeing all the slaves and allowing each of them whatever wealth they can carry from the Wise Masters. In return they are allowed to remained in control of the city, which also remains unsacked. The freed slaves swell the ranks of Daenerys's freedmen and cement her reputation as the "Mother" among her followers. She proceeds to Meereen, the last great slaver city.[1] Now under the command of Brown Ben Plumm, the Second Sons join the Stormcrows as sellswords in the Targaryen host.[2]
As their wealth remains mostly untouched, the Wise Masters of Yunkai are able to hire other sellsword companies and send envoys to Qarth, Mantarys, Elyria, Tolos, New Ghis and Volantis, forming an alliance to cast Daenerys down and restore the slave trade that her campaign has affected.[3][4]
External links
- The Battle of Yunkai analysis on Digital Attic
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 42, Daenerys IV.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 57, Daenerys V.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 16, Daenerys III.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 63, Victarion I.
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